Non-release of funds for five CETPs criticised

President Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA-S.Z) Environment Society and Vice President FPCCI, Gulzar Firoz, has expressed concern over non release of funds for five Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) by Sindh government. He pointed out that Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has released funds for various uplift schemes in the province but ignored five combined effluent treatment plants projects and no funds have been allocated for the projects which are now in pending for last 10-years.
He said that inordinate delay in installation of these plants the environment of Sindh in general and of Karachi in particular is being adversely affected and in absence of the said plants the untreated industrial effluent is being discharged into the sea. He emphasised that the CETPs are indispensable to meet the NEQS and to comply with the requirements of the foreign buyers.
He appealed for an appointment with the chief minister to apprise him of the situation and urgent necessity for installation of CETPs. It may be mentioned that Karachi has five major industrial estates, with over 6,000 industrial units; only one industrial estate in Korangi has such a plant, while most of the industries dump toxic waste in an unauthorised and environmentally damaging manner.
Lack in regard to environmental standards also means that Pakistani companies may have trouble exporting their goods, as these factories' waste dumping procedures does not meet international standards, according to experts. Presently in Karachi seven industrial estates are dumping untreated toxic biological and chemical waste, amounting to an estimated 200 million gallons per day. The Site alone has 3,200 industrial units, of more than 65 categories, including chemicals, textiles, soap and detergents, paints and varnishes, edible oils, automobile vending, cable and conductor manufacturing units, but there is no combined waste treatment plant here.
The effluents from factories are usually dumped in domestic sewers, rain drains or even in public and private lands. Industrialists said that SITE mostly consisted of textile units, which produce about 52 million gallons of effluents every day. They said the setting up of one or more combined effluent treatment plants was the only way to avoid water and soil contamination, but added that the government has, till now, failed to show any commitment to the cause. They said that projects had been planned with the support of foreign donors, but the plan does not take practical shape because of the government's apathy.